This invention relates generally to medical imaging. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus for imaging a newborn infant who requires care in an incubator or similar life-support arrangement.
A newborn infant requiring care in an incubator has typically been born prematurely or otherwise has multiple medical needs. A typical incubator is adapted to maintain temperature, humidity and other environment aspects. Also, the incubator is typically adapted to allow various life-support mechanisms such as oxygen, intravenous medication lines, and the like to the infant, and vital signs monitoring such as echo cardiograms (EKG), blood gas, and the like. Generally, there are some significant logistical challenges in the medical imaging of newborn infants or neonates who require care in incubators. Transporting an infant from a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to the medical imaging area of a medical center or hospital generally requires that the infant be removed from his/her incubator at some point during the transport process, either to an intermediate transportable incubator or to the medical imaging apparatus. Further during imaging, the infant must be maintained in a similar environment (temperature, humidity, and the like) along with the required life-support mechanisms for the duration of the imaging session, which typically lasts more than one hour.
Additionally, when the medical imaging is Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), there are challenges in imaging small subjects that affect the signal to noise ratio (SNR) and ultimately the image quality. Generally, neonatal imaging has been performed with RF coils used in adult head imaging. MRI radiofrequency (RF) coils, especially those of the birdcage configuration, are generally designed to optimize the signal to noise ratio for a particular application. Considerations such as the size of the subject, support mechanisms for the subject and objects that are temporarily affixed to the patient (i.e. life support, respirators, intravenous lines) generally affect the diameter of a RF coil since the above pass through the opening of the coil. The diameter of the coil has generally been increased to accommodate the above objects. An increased coil diameter has a negative effect on the signal to noise ratioxe2x80x94the smaller the coil diameter, the higher the SNR.
There is a need for an incubator arrangement adapted for imaging an infant requiring life-support mechanisms. Also, there is a need for a radiofrequency coil arrangement for imaging small subjects, such as an infant.
In a first aspect of the present invention, an incubator arrangement is provided for use in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system. The incubator arrangement comprises an enclosure adapted to support a subject in a magnet of the MRI system during imaging and a radiofrequency (RF) coil disposed within the enclosure. The RF coil is adapted to provide visual and physical access to the subject, and further adapted to obtain a selected signal to noise ratio.
In a second aspect, a radiofrequency (RF) coil assembly for use in MRI systems is provided. The RF coil comprises a pair of end ring conductors opposed to one another in a spaced-apart relationship and joined by a plurality of rungs. The rungs are disposed equally spaced about the end ring conductors and the rungs are configured to be recessed inward from an outer diameter defined by the respective end ring conductors.